The Chi-Lites, “The Coldest Days of My Life” | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

On the 1^st edition of Throwback Vibez (2022), we recollect and reflect on “The Coldest Days of My Life” by The Chi-Lites.   

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he vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome – we don’t discriminate ‘round here! On the 1^st edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2022), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “The Coldest Days of My Life”, performed by 🎙 The Chi-Lites.

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Theme & Lyrics ✍

“Coldest days of my life / They were the coldest days of my life / I had to run for cover.” My, oh my! Prepare to be sad in the happiest way!  That’s right, soul collective 🎙 The Chi-Lites are responsible for one of the greatest, if saddest, soul records of all time.  Notably, the group is responsible for two megahits – 🎵 “Have You Seen Her” (no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100) or 🎵 “Oh Girl” (no. 1 on the Hot 100). Still, the eight-and-a-half-minute 🎵 “The Coldest Days of My Life” (no. 47) is one of the best, most heartfelt soul songs EVER.

Naturally, it’s love that’s messed the fellas up.  Sigh, that always seems to be the way! “The Coldest Days of My Life” appears as the ninth and final track from 💿 A Lonely Man (1972) – makes sense! Despite “The signs of springtime” intact with birds, “Some of us cried / Can’t you see, oh, can’t you see / The tears in my eyes?” The depression is ripe as The Chi-Lites petition God to “Take the pain away” because “… it couldn’t be much worse.” Yikes! The collective even asserts, “It just couldn’t be much worse / Down below / It just couldn’t be that bad.” In hell???

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Final Thoughts 💭

🎵 “The Coldest Days of My Life” is awesome to the nth degree.  Sure, it’s overshadowed by 🎵 “Have You Seen Her” or 🎵 “Oh Girl”, but it shouldn’t be – IT’S MARVELOUS.  Worth noting, it was 🎙 Phantogram that made me explore this underrated gem.  On their 2014 sophomore album, 💿 Voices, 🎙 Sarah Barthel and 🎙 Josh Carter sample it in their own incredible record, 🎵 “Bill Murray”. Notably, “Bill Murray” captures both the gorgeous, lushness of “The Coldest Days of My Life” as well as the sadness. Both songs are must-hears.

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🎙 The Chi-Lites • 💿 A Lonely Man • 🏷 Brunswick Record Corp. • 🗓 1972
The Chi-Lites, “The Coldest Days of My Life”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 1 [📷: Brent Faulkner, Brunswick Record Corp, cotton bro, The Musical Hype]

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